Chronology World of Warcraft

What is World of Warcraft? The dry press release of Blizzard will tell you that it is the most successful MMORPG for all the time of existence of a genre, and will nod on figures: 2,5 million players in America, 2 million in Europe, 6 million in Asia. Total — already more than 10 million subscribers. This game which cost of development made “all” 50 million euros in only one 2007 brought 1,2 billion dollars to the publisher.

But even if journalists will manage to steal detailed reports from office of Blizzard, hardly the figures which are contained in them will be very interesting to players. Everyone estimates three years of game for himself in own way. What to us hypothetical billions? Far more interestingly what occurred on open spaces of game and about it at this time. Three years presented us a lot of things. Plague behaved violently, I was sloppy Lira, tens of thousands hacked accounts, an ancient gate opened, on main squares drank beer, made a declaration of love and competed in riding rams …

Let’s glance in the past and we will track development of game in concrete events, each of which became a milestone and is forever brought on a WoW-history table.

2004: As everything began

2004: As all nachinalospervy official WoW servers began work on November 23, 2004. They were American and intended for inhabitants of this continent — as on guinea pigs, Blizzard checked the creation for the Yankee then to present it to much more meticulous and exacting European players. To begin game on the American server, without being thus an American, it was very difficult (in particular, not all cash cards were for payment accepted), but it couldn’t stop the Russian players. By hook or by crook, but rather most part of the Russian community plays on the American servers from release to this day.

Blizzard was obviously not ready to so excessive demand for World of Warcraft. Right after turning on of the server of game turned into the main headache of the company — from a server overpopulation constantly fell, and turns on an entrance could make several hundreds of people. But even taught by bitter experience, were besides not ready to release of the European Blizzard version. Start of the euroversion took place on February 11, 2005, in shops across all Europe (including Russia) more than half a million boxes were delivered. According to the initial plan game had to be sold with a starting copies of 280 000, however in three days 290 000 accounts were created. Realma (about 80 only for Europeans) went to pieces. Game forums fell from a myriad of damnations towards Blizzard in general and their technical supports in particular. Thousands of furious people wished to enter game by all means rather.

In Russia the situation was very similar. We suddenly remembered how the forgotten Soviet word “deficiency” sounds long ago. The Russian distributor of WoW, the Software Klab company, it was even forced to make the following statement: “We receive numerous complaints to lack of World of Warcraft in shops, on unfairly high prices, on cases of speculative resale of game. New circulations of World of Warcraft will leave in process of input in a system of additional server capacities of the Blizzard company. We can’t guarantee that emergence of additional circulation will allow to solve completely a problem of deficiency and to satisfy demand. However we do everything possible to correct current situation”.

In the Russian reality it looked so: On February 11 only the one who or very early was in shop behind a box began to play, or who had friends in Europe who could buy a box and send a code. The intensity of emotions can’t resolutely be passed. Only the one who tried to buy GAZ-2110 in the conditions of the rigid Soviet distributor will understand it. There was the same.

2005: Laughter

2005: Laughter and… vaypblizzard often abuse for the fact that they allegedly connect to a game code too many the “watching” programs. But as a result you can be rescued from such here trouble.

The first year of existence of WoW was, probably, the most cheerful. Now the main time at most of players leaves on raids, and then so serious raids actually weren’t. The main intrigue was under construction on the questions “how quicker to take the following level” and “where, oh, damn, this quest becomes”. By the way, and betlgraund first weren’t: they were connected only in June. To wave for all comers a sword and to start up fireballs towards the real opponent there was almost incessant spontaneous outdoor PvP in Tarren Millet. To this day the skilled player shudders when he on some need has to go through Tarren’s mill. Before eyes there are fights a wall on a wall; sudden sorties of the opponent; horror from a characteristic sound with which the enemy robber materialized behind your back; reminiscence of tens and hundreds of death and, certainly, terrible, improbable logs.

Now the bulk of players got used already that with each patch developers are anyway played with classes: strengthen, weaken — or, speaking game language, bafat and nerfit. At the beginning of existence of WoW players weren’t so tolerant at all. When in the 2005th Blizzard declared that in the next patch the soldier will be “a little bit понерфлен”, reaction of people on one of servers (the American Argent Dawn) was extremely rough. No, nobody drank cyanide and shot at the heads, dissatisfied users created several hundreds of gnomes soldiers of the first level, and this naked, but proud herd of bearded Koloboks intended to organize march of a protest.

Not clearly, why developers so furiously reacted to this, in general, harmless action (it was clear that players will disperse sooner or later), but in a chat uniform war began. Geymmastera demanded that gnomes dispersed; players jumped and chanted “Down with changes!”. As a result, without having managed to solve a problem by peaceful means, the geymmaster was just thrown out from game of all naked pudges. So the first in WoW march of a protest of players against administration ended.

Gnumysotnya of naked gnomes soldiers of the first level: we will kill nobody, but we will frighten all!

But the main thing, than the 2005th was remembered, so it by strong performance of magnificent Leroy Jenkins. Imagine that you — leading raid. You conduct the party (10 people) in инстанс Black Rock Spire. There is such town where categorically it isn’t recommended to run on the eggs laid by a dragon — otherwise they break up also young drakonye the young growth tries to be fed with all participants of raid. And here you in a role leading raid long and distinctly tell that now there will be a pool, you explain everyone its task, you ask again — whether it is clear? Only one player at you departed from the computer now – it is Leroy Jenkins, well nothing, you explain to him later … you think, and at this time Leroy suddenly rises to the feet also with a loud cry “Leerrrrroooooooy Jeeeenkins!!!” runs to the room with eggs. In only a few seconds all players perish. All begin to shout in a chat at Leroy: “That you did! You are stupid as a stopper! “. “But I have a tasty chicken” — Leroy answers it, thereby letting know why he was absent on instructing.

This roller still is one of the most downloaded on YouTube: probably, won’t be exaggeration to tell that it was seen by any who for a long time plays WoW. Ever since the name Leroy became nominal, to them designate the player who isn’t able to play at all, and this nickname far surpassed in an obidnost traditional and derisive “noob” (from newbie — English “beginner”). Itself Lira, by the way, didn’t become puzzled and made to himself not only the known name (Leroy distributed hundreds of interviews and now is one of the most famous players in WoW), but also quite good business — t-shirts dispersed from his name and a war-call with a bang in due time. Blizzard also recognized “merits” of Liroya — in WoW TCG (collection gambling on the basis of WoW) the map with his name appeared.

2005: Sadly and seriously

2005: Sadly and серьезноТот the most black of kurayskiya маунт which quantity is less or equally to the number of the WoW servers. Looks, by and large, it is absolutely uninteresting.

But not for laughter uniform 2005 is nice. In June trial over careless parents whose child choked while his mother with the father played WoW began. Before the world was shaken by series of messages on people who sat up behind game literally to death. The same year at a ceremony of Spike TV Awards WoW several awards got at once.

And in the fall 2005th plague came to the world of WoW. First players decided that fault to all a mistake in a program code; later it became clear that it not so. Actually the mountain of corpses was unintentionally created by Hakkar, one of the last bosses in the connected instans of Zul’gurub, and intentionally — players who, as usual, wanted to joke of all.

Hakkar has such ability — time in several tens seconds it throws in those who were put to it for epikam, the infected slime which very quickly takes away health. It is unknown to whom the ingenious thought came to mind “to take away” this infection with itself, but it is unambiguously possible to tell that it was the hunter. Having called a manual animal and having got on him this infection, the hunter moved away an animal — and then called it in one of the capitals. The effect was almost instant: filled up city streets with corpses. The infected animal, being let out in the place of a congestion of players, instantly extended an infection; it was passed not only from the player to the player, but even through NPC which in any capital there is a lot of. The first the Archimonde server suffered from invasion of plague. Low-level characters perished at once; high-level tried to keep, but in conditions when an infection everywhere, it was impossible to survive. Several hours before the situation was stabilized, and several days were required — before Blizzard could wipe sweat and note that now very well.

Plague didn’t pass in WoW completely. For players this event, of course, was through passage: it was impossible to play any time, but nothing fatal happened. Eventually, restart of servers takes away time from people too and nobody complains of it. The most important, than plague “hallooed”, is an interest of scientific community. The staff of Princeton university who conducted quite serious research and found out that the model of spread of an illness to WoW was very similar to real life were first (transfer of an infection animals, irresponsibility of players, fast distribution between continents). And therefore WoW (and other on-line games) are of sufficient interest to researchers. Through some time the attention to on-line environments in general and to games in particular was expressed by one more known office — National laboratory of Sandia, the USA. They declared that on-line games can give invaluable help to scientists in the analysis of social activity of people. Importance of “game plague” and its consequences can be tracked also on the fact that this event immediately became known for BBC news feed.

2006: Year of a bug

2006: Year no bugs, it not mass PvP-action. In a picture — a chaos at vendor in Sanvelle in day of its opening on the Stonemaul server. However, PvP in such events (remember opening of a gate of An’kuraya) — business the most usual. As well as logs.

The main reminiscence of the 2006th — all year waited for an add-on of The Burning Crusade. When bothered to look for the fresh facts about addition on the Internet, came back to game, there a lot of interesting still was created. For example, a gate of an instans of Ahn’Qiraj opened. According to a legend, Ahn’Qiraj it was created to stop invasion of ancient silitid on Azerot’s territory. Its gate were sealed by strength of a dragon of Anakhronos and the very druid Lord Stagkhelm, and it is impossible to open them differently except how to knock on a gong at gate a scepter. The scepter made Anakhronos right after gate were sealed; the very druid right there hurt him, having declared that he never in life will open this awful place.

Good history and good priming for a magnificent series of quests. It would be possible to assume that Blizzard and will this time go along the blazed route once and will make the next “chain on a key” — that is a chain of quests at the end of which the player will be given the “that scepter” allowing to enter in инстанс. But isn’t present! The thought of developers went further, and as a result offered us global ивент huge scope. For a start it was required to descend several times in a road instans of Blackwing Lair, to kill several tens of thousands of bugs and in general to spend a great lot of time and efforts to search of all components of a scepter. But the most difficult waited ahead — it was necessary to collect and hand over improbable quantity of resources. All server already worked on it.

The first a gate of Ahn’Qiraj was opened by players of the Medivh server — it happened on January 23, 2006. The Russian Warsong server collected resources and made passing on February 19 (the American version) and on March 2 (the European version). The main thing that was remembered by the players who visited action — the terrifying logs: at gate in Silitusa gathered on some hundreds, on some servers to one thousand people on both sides. The owner of a scepter banged a gong; a gate opened, attack of silitid began. Most of players spent that night without dream: guilds went in инстанс to 20 people more weakly, is more feasible — at once tried “sorokovka”.

By the way, Black Qiraji Resonating Crystal, the most rare маунт in the world of WoW was presented to the main hero of a quest (the player who opened a gate). The matter is that for each server only one such, and only way to receive it — to come to recently opened server and to execute everything that it is necessary to open a gate is provided. It is no wonder that the character possessing a similar maunt is tens times more expensive similar to it on degree of “odetost”.

By the way, if you passed a chain of quests on a scepter, then you can make it now, on any server. Maunt, however, for it won’t be given, but tasks in itself are very interesting.

2006: Wash hands before food

2006: Wash hands in front of the edoycherny lock (Black Temple) it was connected in a patch 2.1.0 in June of the 2007th. And if earlier only top guilds could go to this instans, now it is easily passed also by not especially strong players.

Blizzard since ancient times were famous for the strict relation to all couples. Their actions according to Bang of many thousands of players in Warcraft 3, StarCraft and Diablo 2 are widely known. WoW didn’t become an exception. In the fall of 2006 the administration of servers blocked, according to different data, from 75 to 80 thousand accounts. Their owners were suspected of different violations, but generally — of use of the exploits allowing to make infinite fortunes. Out of game economy time brought about 11 million gold. Unlike the EverQuest developers who absolutely quietly treat sale of game things for real money (certainly, it is quiet only within them the created service), Blizzard declared that sale of intra game objects, including accounts, violates conditions of terms of service and will be stopped by Bang.

That the most curious, was supposed to trace violators first of all by means of players who had to report to administration about illegal actions. You understand, on the Russian people who aren’t imagining how it — to buy game gold for real and right there “to hand over” the seller, this action had no special influence. And here the statement of Blizzard struck sellers of other nationalities at full capacity.

But in the following stir our compatriots got under distribution much more significantly: in the same fall general theft of accounts began. As the reason, most likely, it is possible to consider couple of infected add-ons which are laid out on the known web portals. Having downloaded such add-on, the unfortunate user caught the net worm who remarkably threw off to the developer of the program login and the password on an entrance to game.

It is difficult to estimate scales, but on approximate estimations several tens of thousands of people suffered from theft of accounts. Malefactors usually “merged” all game gold and completely “undressed” the character, but didn’t erase it. Technical support was paralyzed by mad amount of requests for recovery (so-called “kickback”) of characters. However, it is necessary to pay them tribute — after an exchange of two-three letters (or a direct call to the European office) the character usually restored. Completely dressed. But, unfortunately, without money and without part of “stock” — skins, fabrics, essences …

Conclusion from this situation is simple: playing, don’t neglect protection. The antivirus and a firewall will rescue you from 95% of problems. Blizzard ask to start also game only by means of the official program of occupancy (launcher). It is unclear, how exactly he promotes protection of system from viruses, worms and usual keylogger, but to their councils it is better to listen.

2007: Waited!

That Dell XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition around which was to so many noise. Now the laptop costs slightly less than $3000.

If long to suffer, something yes will turn out — obviously one of the mottoes Blizzard. In any case, it is so possible to paraphrase the phrase of “when it’s done” which is so loved by them and so hated to players. So, after a year of expectation, in January of the 2007th it happened: there was The Burning Crusade. I left — and right there I broke a world record on the speed of sale of game for the first days: 2,7 million boxes! That the add-on brought, wrote much, with taste and where попадя (including glossy “ladies'” magazines) so we won’t list obvious. And here we will mention couple of not the most obvious, but curious facts.

In the summer of the 2007th Blizzard at last guessed to connect system of protection of players against spam. From now on to us any more longest messages in style “buy from me Golda’s one thousand for three kopeks” which could block “pm” of the character without remainder earlier aren’t scary; on mail more catastrophic number of letters with the same offers doesn’t fall. Sellers of gold and other on-line pleasures are forced to offer the services loyally — in a trade channel. In principle, of course, their activity is pursued by the developer. But while they don’t prevent to play, nobody prevents them to work.

In October the new holiday — a beer Festival (the well-known Brewfest) came to open spaces of WoW. In general, holidays in game much (there is both celebration of New year, and celebration of Halloween, and quite at the level the presented St. Valentine’s Day), but this was remembered especially. Players weren’t just poured up to the eyebrows by local delicious beer (not a stomach for the sake of, and токмо for performance of a quest on catching of blue hares), but also participated in races on rams. During few weeks which the festival lasted it was necessary to collect tickets, then they could be exchanged for any amusing things, and including — for a riding maunta-lamb. So if you see before yourself awful to indulge not on a classical bone horse, and astride quite cheerful ram, is a sign of what this character wholly tasted pleasures of life of virtual “Oktoberfest”.

Burning Crusadeotkrytiye of the Black portal became the main event of The Burning Crusade. In this green window practically any player in WoW at least once flew.

In December of the 2007th there was an event, directly game a WoW which isn’t mentioning, but pleased admirers, to lyubyashchikhpoputeshestvovat. The Dell company released the new XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition laptop. Nothing supernatural in this laptop was unless the picture which decorated the top panel pleased. On the laptop Windows Vista with the keeper of the screen and a subject in WoW style was preset and the client of game was put. Also box versions of WoW, WoW were included in the package of delivery: TBC, the instruction for game, a disk with the story about development, plus — most, probably, interesting — an envelope with “club card” and the coupon on production of game characters. Originally all this pleasure (Intel Core 2 Duo with a clock frequency up to 3,4 GHz, from 2 GB to 4 GB of random access memory, the physical Ageia PhysX accelerator and two graphic NVIDIA controllers with support of DirectX 10 working in the SLI mode) cost to fans 4500 American rubles, now the price fell almost twice. By the way, within a month after an exit of the laptop it was discussed at all WoW-forums, even those players who didn’t need the device at all caught a gadzhetomaniya.

In general in the category “reason for gossips” of WoW in the 2007th it was uninviting. It was remembered unless the message on arrest of the 30-year-old Australian, she has love affairs in WoW with the 17-year-old American teenager. The woman had enough mind to arrive to “beloved” where she right there and was tied. Originally threatened the Australian till two years of imprisonment under the article “seduction of minors” — in the USA the majority occurs in 18 years. It would be curious to see case papers — very interestingly as there the seduction fact was proved, people were divided by thousands of kilometers.

Tendencies of development of WoW are traced with the naked eye: game becomes simpler. It is clear, that from 10 million players now the most part wants everything, at once somewhat quicker. And Blizzard follows their tastes — and what they need to do? The old players remembering times when Dungeon Set was a limit of dreams grit the teeth and … remain. Events about which we told now it is only an iceberg top, and everyone during this time had a set of own victories and failures. The history WoW proceeds …